Self-winding clock



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. M. SCHMIDT. SELF WINDING CLOCK.

Patented May 19 1891. my]

Wdnsssaus fiweraol- (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. M. SCHMIDT.

SELF WINDING CLOCK.

No. 452,392. Patented May 19,1891.

Wbeass e6 we noams PETERS co., monrumo WA:SHINGTON, n c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDRIOK M. SCHMIDT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SELF-WINDING CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,392, dated May 19,1891.

Application filed November 25, 1890 Serial No. 372,621. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDRICK M. SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electro-lllechanicalQlocks, of whichthe following is a specificatlon, reference being had tothe drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

This invention is an improvement in that class of clocks commonly knownas selfwinding, or, in other. words, clocks that are run by means of aweight or spring, but which at predetermined intervals are automaticallywound by means of an electromagnetic motive device.

The object of the invention is to simplify the mechanism which suchclocks contain and to provide for the least possible drain upon thebattery used to supply the motive power for rewinding them.

The winding mechanism which I employ is a ratchet-wheel fixed orattached to thegoingbarrel and a reciprocating motor that atpredetermined intervals operates apawl and advances the ratchet-wheelstep by step through the space of a given number of teeth. The circuitof the motor, however, is controlled automatically by independentmechanism, the function of which is, first, to maintain themotor-magnets energized until the armature has moved the winding-ratchetthrough the full space of a tooth; second, to then interrupt the saidcircuit and permit the armature to recedeto its full extent; third, thento close the circuit of the magnet again and so repeat the firstoperation. Such an operation, it will be observed, differs essentiallyfrom that of an ordinary makeand-break escapement pawl and ratchet andwith suitable provision for the number of makes and breaks insures theproper winding of the clock-spring.

The details of the construction of this invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the complete mechanism with one sideof the frame removed. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the same at rightangles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a portion of the winding mechanism de'tached from the rest of the works. Fig. 4c is a sectional detail of aportion of the winding mechanism. Fig. 5 shows a portion of one of thecircuit-controlling wheels. Fig. 6 is a modified form of winding-motor.Fig. 7 is a detail of a portion of the same. The charactor of thegoing-train may be very greatly ing-barrel C, in which is themainspring, one

end connected to the arbor, the other to the barrel. A ratchet-wh eel Dis fixed to the barrel and turns loosely on the shaft. This wheel isnormally locked by engagement with a pawl a, so that the tension of thespring is applied to driving the clock-train when the spring has beenwound up.

A clock may be constructed to be automatically rcwound at any desiredintervals on the plan which I am about to describe; but I prefer thatthe clock shall be so arranged that the winding mechanism shall bebrought into operation once an hour, and in the present case I haveshown only the mechanism for this purpose.

The ratchet-wheel D hasa certain selected number of teeth. I preferabout twenty, so that the circuit for the mechanism which I havedesigned to effect the winding will be closed that number of times onlyduring each hour.

E are the electro-magnets that are utilized for winding the clock. Theyact upon armatures F, carried by a pivoted frame G. I prefer tonse theform of magnet and armature shown and described in my patent, No.438,780, dated October 21, 1890; but any other that is adapted for thepurpose may be substituted therefor.

The armature-frame carries an arm II, to which is pivoted the pawl a,which is held in engagement with the winding-ratchet D by means of aspiral spring Z), attached to the said pawl, and a pin 0 on the armII,respectively.

It is obvious that it the magnets E be energized twenty times and eachimpulse be of suflicient force and duration the ratchet D will be turnedthrough one revolution and the spring in the barrel 0 be wound up to acorresponding extent. I shall describe, there-- fore, the meansforsecuring this result, which I have devised and which form the subjectof this invention.

1 is a sleeve turning loosely on the shaft 13. This sleeve carries threewheels J K L. The wheel K, which is between the other two, is insulatedfrom the sleeve and the other two. Its periphery is cut in teeth, whichare marked 0. The wheel or disk L has also teeth (Z of the same width asthose of wheel K, and the two wheels are set so that the teeth of onelie midway between those of the other. A portion of the teeth of wheel Lare, however, cut away, so that when the two are turned under acontact-spring M, secured to an insulatingblock M and adapted to bearupon the peripheries of the two wheels, the said strip or spring willnot make contact with the cutaway portion of the said wheel L; but afterpassing this cut-away part the spring will bear alternately upon the twowheels. The wheel J is a star or escapement wheel, with teethcorresponding in number and position to those on the wheel K.

The armature-frame G carries two fixed pawls N 0, one engaging with theteeth of wheel K and the other with the teeth of wheel J, the latterpawl serving as a detent to stop the wheels and'forward movement of thearmatures when by the movement of the latter the said pawl O is broughtbetween two of the teeth of the said wheel J. The pawl (t and the pawlsN O are so adjusted as to position that the movement of the armatureswill not be arrested until the pawl a has completed its stroke andadvanced the ratchet D the full space of one tooth.

P is a bell-crank lever pivoted at c to the frame. One arm carries apivoted pawl f, acted upon by a spring g, and the other is connected bya slot and pin to an extension 7L from the armature-frame. The pawl f isarranged to engage with the ratchet-wheel K and moves it in the samedirection as pawl N, but'only by the complete backward movement of thearmature-frame. The pawl f being pivoted, the wheel K is free to move byit in one direction.

On the arbor B is a pin Q that engages with a pin Q, set in the side ofthe wheel K.

A bowed springt' is placed between the frame and the wheel L to preventdisplace ment of the latter by jars and other causes.

One pole of the battery R is connected to spring M through the magnets Eand the other to the metal frame of the clock, from which pawls N O andlever Pare suitably insulated.

The operation of this device is as follows: By the operation of theclock mechanism the pin Q comes at a given point into engagement withpin Q and turns the three wheels J K L in the direction of the arrow,Fig. 3, until the spring M passes over the cut-away portion of wheel Land slips from one of the teeth conto one of the teeth (I. Fig. showsthe parts in this position. The contact of the spring M with wheel Lcompletes the battery-circuit, wheel L being in metallic connection withthe frame, and draws up the armatures toward the magnets until theratchet-wheel D has been advanced one tooth. Before the armature hascompleted its stroke the pawl N engages one of the teeth 0 and advancesthe three wheels J K L until the first-named is blocked by pawl 0; butatthe end of this movement the spring M has been shifted onto one of theteeth 0 of the wheel K. The circuit, therefore, is broken, as said wheelis dead or insulated from the frame. The armatures at once fall backfrom the poles of the magnet, proper means being provided for effectingthis, such as a spring S, and in their return turn the lever P about itsfulcrum, causing the pawlf to advance the wheels J K L one step or untilthe spring M slips onto the next tooth d of wheel L. This cycle ofoperation is repeated until the spring M slips from the last tooth (Z ofwheel L before the cut-away portion in said wheel. \Vhen this occurs,the circuit remains broken until by the movement of the arbor B the pinsQ and Q are brought into engagement and the wheels J K L turned untilthe cutaway part of wheel L has again passed the spring M. The number ofteeth of the wheels K L and the width of the cut-away part of the latterwill obviously depend upon the requirements of each case and may bereadily determined. The same result may be secured by other means, andas a modification of the principle of construction I have shown thedevice in Fig. 0.

In this device the armature or armatureframe that operates to wind thespring earries an arm m, on the end of which is a rounded post. Theforward or outer side a of this post is metallic, and the arm m isconnected to one pole of the battery. The other side 0 of said post isinsulated, as shown. A spring M carries at its extremity a curved plate13, with which the metallic part a of the post is normally in contact.

This device is applicable to the ordinary self-winding clocks, in whichthe electric circuit, by means of a rotating contact, is closed for agiven length of time during each houror other period, and after beingclosed is broken again after a predetermined movement of some of theparts. This structureIhave not illustrated, as it is common to all theselfwinding clocks now in use and is well understood.

The operation of this device is as follows: lVhen the circuit of thecontact-maker of the clock is closed at some point in the circuitbetween the points a: y, the magnet draws toward it the armature F. Thecircuit is maintained closed between the armature and the spring M aslong as the post a is in contact with the plate 17; nor do these partsseparate until the armature has completed its ITO the post it leaves isbent slightly toward the post, so that as soon as the latter passes theedge of the plate the spring M carries the same forward, leaving thepost to return on the opposite side of the plate. In its return,however, it does not close the contact, because its insulated side ispresented to the plate 19; but, the outer or upper edge of the platebeing bent toward the insulated post 0, the post after reaching itsbackward limit of movement returns to the plate with its metallic sidepresented thereto.

In order to insure permanent contact be tween the post and the plate 19,I placea comparatively light spring T in position to encounter thearmature F on its return and force it slightly forward. The back-andforth motion of the armature effected in this way continues as long asthe circuit is closed between m and y, as above described.

The above-described mechanism or plan for rewinding a clock I have foundto be both effective and economical. The time required to rewind theclock is extremely short and the drain upon the battery is very small.

WVhat I claim is- 1. The combination, with a clock-train, aneleotro-magnet, anda vibrating armature for winding the same, of acircuit-controller the movement or operation of which is dependout uponthe movements of the armature, said circuit-controller having contactsurfaces or points adapted to be brought into engagement by the returnof the armature to its limit of backward movement and maintained in suchengagement during its complete forward movement, as herein set forth.

2. The combination, with a clock-train and an electro-magnet andvibrating armature for winding the same, of a circuit-controllingmechanism intermittently moved in the same direction by both the forwardand return movements of said armature, said circuit-controllingmechanism being provided with contact-surfaces so arranged as to bebrought into engagement on the return of the armature to its limit ofbackward movement and separated when said armature has completed itsforward movement, as set forth.

The combination, with a clock-train and an electro-magnet andvibrating-armature for winding the same, of a circuit-controllingmechanism moved intermittently to a given extent in one direction byboth the forward and return movement of the armature and adapted tomaintain the circuit closed during the forwardmovement of the armature,as set forth, and a pin or device on arevolvingmemher of the clock-trainadapted to engage with said circuit-controlling mechanism and bring itinto operative relation with the vibrating armature, as herein setforth.

4:. The combination,with aclock-train and an electro-magnet andvibrating armature for winding the same, of two ratchet-wheels, oneinsulated, the other forming a part of the circuit of the magnet, thetwo wheels being set so that their teeth alternate, and that which is inthe circuit being mutilated or minus a portion of its teeth, aspring-contact in position to bear upon the teeth of the wheels and tomake contact with the two alternately, a pin or projection on one of therevolving members of the clock-train adapted to engage with and rotatethe two wheels, and two pawls connected with the vibrating armature andoperated by the movements of the same in opposite directions,respectively, and adapted to impart movement to said wheels in the samedirection, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the magnet and vibrating armature of aself-winding clock, of a perfect and insulated ratchet-wheel, amutilated ratchet-wheel connected with the circuit, the two being setwith their teeth alternating, a spring-contact bearing on said teeth, apin or projection on a rotating member of the clock-train adapted toengage with and move the said wheels, a direct-acting pawl carried bythe armature and engaging with the insulated ratchet-wheel, andbell-crank lever and pawl engaging with the said wheel and adapted toadvance thesame by a return movement of the armature, as set forth.

6. The combination, with the magnet and vibrating armature of aself-winding clock, of a perfect and insulated ratchet-Wheel, amutilated ratchet-wheel connected with the circuit, the two being setwith their teeth alternating, a spring-contact bearing on said teeth, anescapement-wheel fixed to the ratchet-wheel, a pin or projection on arotating member of the clock-train adapted to engage with and move thesaid wheel, a pawl carried by the armature and adapted to move thewheels by the forward movement of said armature, a detent carried by thearmature adapted to engage with the said escapement-wheel, and a pawlconnected with the armature and operated by thereturn movement of thesame to advance the said wheels, as herein set forth.

FREDRIOK M. SCHMIDT.

WVitnesses:

RoBT. F. GAYLORD, MAROELLA G. TRACY.

